Research

What a ClinicalTrials.gov study status tells you-and what it doesn’t

2026-09-24 · 4 min read

The label describes a study’s reported stage

ClinicalTrials.gov uses status fields to describe recruitment and whether a study is continuing, has ended, or stopped early. Those labels answer a practical timeline question. They do not summarize whether an intervention works.

The registry’s overall recruitment status is based on the individual study locations. A study can have sites in different stages; if at least one site is recruiting, the overall status must be “Recruiting.” Open the official record’s Contacts and Locations section to see whether a particular site has its own status and contact details. The study-wide label alone cannot tell you what is happening at every location.

Recruiting is different from active

Recruiting means participants are currently being recruited. It does not mean anyone has enrolled yet, that a particular location is open today, or that you will meet the study’s criteria.
Enrolling by invitation means the study selects participants from a predetermined group. It is not general, open enrollment.
Active, not recruiting means the study is continuing—participants may be receiving an intervention or being examined—but new participants are not currently being recruited or enrolled.
Not yet recruiting means recruitment has not begun.

In other words, “active” describes ongoing study activity, while “recruiting” indicates that the study reports seeking participants. An active study may already have closed recruitment.

Completed does not mean results are posted

Completed means the study concluded normally and participants are no longer receiving an intervention or being examined; the final participant’s last visit has occurred. It does not tell you what the researchers found. Check the record’s Results section and any linked publications separately. Some completed studies have no results posted on ClinicalTrials.gov, and a status label by itself is not evidence of benefit, safety, or failure.

Completion dates also need context. The Primary Completion Date is when data collection for the primary outcome ends. The Study Completion Date covers collection for primary and secondary outcomes and adverse events. A projected date is an estimate; the actual date is updated when known.

Stopped early and unknown are different, too

Suspended means a study halted early but may resume.
Terminated means it halted early and will not resume; participants are no longer being examined or receiving an intervention.
Withdrawn means it stopped before the first participant enrolled.
Unknown is a registry status for certain records whose last known status was recruiting, not yet recruiting, or active/not recruiting, whose completion date has passed, and whose status has not been verified in more than two years. It signals that the old status is stale—not that the study is secretly open or that its outcome is known.

When a record says suspended, terminated, or withdrawn, look for the sponsor’s Why Study Stopped explanation if one is provided. The status alone does not explain the reason.

A quick way to check a record

Open the original ClinicalTrials.gov record from the map and note its NCT number.
Read the overall status and the record’s Last Update Posted and Last Verified dates.
Open Contacts and Locations and check the status and contact for the location that matters to you.
If the study is completed, suspended, terminated, or withdrawn, check the Results section and any linked publication separately.
For participation questions, contact the study team listed on the current official record. Only that team can confirm whether a location is taking enquiries or determine eligibility.

Psychoactive Map is a discovery interface. It does not enroll participants or decide eligibility. A status displayed on a map is a snapshot of registry information; always follow the current official record and confirm practical details with the study team.

For the difference between a registration and scientific findings, see How to tell a trial listing from study results. For contacts, locations and sponsor names, see Sponsor, study site and contact: which one do you need?.

Educational information only; this article is not medical advice, an enrollment service, or a recommendation to join any study.